Missing Kaimais women found

UPDATED 3.20pm:

The two women who became lost in the Kaimai Ranges have been found.

A reporter at the scene said the women, aged 68 and 76, were found about 1.5kms in from the Leyland O'Brien track entrance about 3.10pm.

The women appeared to be unhurt and in good spirits as they were walking towards searchers when they were found.

The two emerged from the bush alongside ''hero cop'' Deane O'Connor and retired police officer Lester Polglase, who joined search efforts earlier this afternoon.

One of the women, who was only known as Lyn, said they lost their way and had only planned on a trek lasting two to three hours yesterday.

She said the two spent overnight asleep on the track.

Both women knew people were searching for them but they did not have enough coverage on their Vodafone cellphones to call people to let them know where they were.

The other woman left the scene shortly after coming out, declining to speak with media.

EARLIER: Tauranga's hero cop has joined efforts to find two women missing in the Kaimai Ranges.

"Hero cop" Deane O'Connor and retired police officer Lester Polglase get ready to help look for two women missing in the Kaimai Ranges. Photo/John Borren.

Constable Deane O'Connor arrived at the Whakamarama side of the search this afternoon as teams of police and Land Search and Rescue continue searching for the pair, who failed to return from a day's tramp yesterday.

Mr O'Connor received a hero status after he jumped into freezing waters to save the life of a man involved in a crash on Maungatapu Bridge in 2013.

The two local women, aged 68 and 76, are keen trampers and were walking the Ngamarama Track, known as the Te Tuhi track, and the Leyland O'Brien track on the Tauranga side of the Kaimai Range, police said.

Local residents have also joined in on the search, including father and son team Mark and Caleb Kirkham.

Caleb Kirkham, 27, said: ''I got home and felt a bit stink that I'm not doing anything. I'm right on the backdoorstep where the women went missing.''

He said he and his father were keen hunters and familiar with the area.

Earlier today, police appealed for any sightings of the pair after receiving information of a possible sighting of the missing trampers on the Henderson Tramline North Track late yesterday afternoon.

The women started their tramp around 11am, and were expected back by 6pm.

When they failed to appear, their daughters raised the alarm.

Police and search and rescue volunteers have spent the night in the bush searching for the pair.

Their four-door silver Toyota Spacio remains parked a few metres from entrance to the Leyland O'Brien track on the Tauranga side of the Kaimai Range, with a note on the windscreen which reads, " Celia and Lyn police and search and rescue teams are out looking for you. Please ring 111 and ask for police if you get back before we find you." .